Fragmentary
by Mister Gorbachev
Summary: Pieces of unofficial Destiny lore mostly in the form of intercom dialogue that help to make the universe more alive and create a sense of progression, something like non-canon grimoire cards. Each Chapter correlates with a specific mission or strike in the game. Title is subject to change. No refunds.
1. Fragment 1: A Guardian Rises

()-[]

() Tessig, a humble vassal, wishes audience with Ekvarla, Archon of the House of Winter.

[] Proceed.

() My mission has been underway for seven hisses, during which I have uncovered some new information regarding our foe, humanity.

[] Ah, on Earth. Are you alone?

() Yes, I was sent here alone that I may be less easily detected.

[] Very well, what have you found?

() Shortly after my arrival I found a ghost wandering the ancient human wreckage. I remained cloaked, and followed the light as it floated about for cycles upon cycles. At last, it stopped, and hovering just above the dirt it summoned forth a human in some horrid blue flash.

[] Heard. The ghosts can create humans, then?

() Yes, Archon.

[] So can the humans. It is not a dire matter; do not be so hasty in the future to chatter like a dreg.

() This is not all.

[] Yes?

() By the human's clothes, and helmet, I swear on the hands upon my arms, this human was a Guardian.

[] Heard.

() The Guardians each have a ghost as a sort of guide, do they not? The ghost followed it.

[] That is my understanding, so this fits together. Tell, did you slaughter them?

() I would have. A captain of the House of Devils watched the event as well, though this process is surely no news to their kind.

[] Then you have acted without serious fault. To be found by the House of Devils would be far worse than to be found by Guardians. If the Traveler is using ghosts to call the Guardians into being and can continue to do this, our reclamation is further than we had believed, and truly we should not seek another conflict between the houses.

() You speak wisely, Archon.

[] Yes. Now then, have you any more news to report?

() No, Archon.

[] Then remain on Earth. I shall put this information to use where I can.

() Yes, Archon. Now, I do not wish to speak out of turn, but any warranted promotions will be agreed upon shortly, I presume?

[] You are chattering again, vandal.

[]-()


	2. Fragment 2: Restoration

()-[]

() I commanded you to fire with everything.

[] That is what I am doing, but the Traveler is not as powerless as we believed! It diverts the human shells from the city just as it has always diverted our own!

() You said it could not do that, Riksis. You were certain!

[] And I have failed you, my Kell.

() Yes you have, but be thankful that this is the first time. My flay will land mercifully upon you, and you shall remain an Archon.

[] Thank you, my Kell, but what of the situation at hand? By sunrise surely the humans will mobilize their tanks, and send Guardians as well.

() Then we will not let our hard-earned acquisition of this 'Twilight Gap' go to waste. Do not abandon the outpost yet. It is my will that your blood mingle with theirs.

[] Yes my Kell, I shall gladly test my mettle with the humans, though what if it proves tactical to retreat?

() Ahaha. Afraid, Riksis? When your carry enough skulls to double your collection, then you may retreat.

[] Afraid? No! I await the battle eagerly!

() Such shouting will wear you out, and an exhausted warrior does not kill so many humans. Now, what does Sepiks say regarding this decision to fight for the outpost?

**The decision is not horribly foolish, unlike the blind faith you both put into the original plan; however the Ketch may be in danger this close to the city, and I would advise going into orbit.**

[] The decision to fight for the outpost... is a noble one, my Kell, but for your safety you should take your Ketch into orbit.

() Heard. Fight well, Riksis.

[] These corridors shall taste their cold flesh.

()-[]

**You have been staring at it.**

At what? I have not given you permission to use my eyes.

**Yet when your mind is weak and fleshy, I do not need permission.**

Ha. Yes, I have been staring at it. We get little chance at a view. Allock! Damn the humans.

()-[]

() Archon, it is I, Captain Ivitak. There is a small ship flying overhead out of the city. It is paying us no mind, shall we fire at it with the human cannons?

[] We have no other need for them, and are they not made to strike at aircraft? Fire away. It matters little.

[]-()


	3. Fragment 3: The Dark Within

The Harp of Oryx here levies a response,

To the famed Seclusion Oration of Cylmesh the Wizard,

Regarding what was said in that Oration,

What Cylmesh said to the Hidden Swarm,

What she advised as a wise course of action to the Hidden Swarm.

Cylmesh is wise and powerful,

The darkness within her is strong and her sorcery is mighty,

Through her pure hatred she rends the universe apart,

But despite her strength and her wisdom,

Despite her hatred, purer than in any other,

She erred in her judgment when she gave that Oration.

The Hidden Swarm lurks within the Moon, waiting,

Fighting back at those who come and meddle in our affairs,

The Fallen who come are battled viciously,

We consume them in our stomachless maw,

When they encroach upon us.

When the Guardians come from Earth,

Cursed warriors of our enemy are they,

When the cursed warriors of the light come to us,

We strike at them and slay them,

We consume them not for sustenance, but out of hate.

But more Guardians are here now than before.

The wretched enemy, the betrayer of the gods,

That which we shall not call by true name,

That which others call the Traveler,

In horrible mockery of our dire purpose defends itself,

It defends itself from its many foes,

Ourselves the greatest and most terrible of all,

And it defends itself with Guardians because it is weakened.

Rejoice in this, Hidden Swarm,

Rejoice, Spawn of Crota and Blood of Oryx,

The enemy is not healed of its wounds.

Indeed, it is near its long-awaited end,

If we were to strike now, we may end it,

We may achieve that glorious victory,

Which we have sought for so long,

For thousands of years we have sought its destruction.

I do not propose the Hive go to Venus,

Cylmesh has spoken as to why we should not,

And I agree, but Cylmesh spoke little of Earth,

She spoke of Venus and our other ancient enemy,

But she spoke little of Earth and the hideous Source of Light.

It is true we are growing in strength and terror,

Mormu the Wizard has birthed many great ogres,

Omnigul, the Will of Crota works toward her own ends,

And the Siphon Witches now conduct their great ritual,

It is true by waiting, we grow.

But so too does the Bright Liar,

So too does our foe, as it tries to bring humanity back from ashes.

We must strike now, before more Guardians are birthed,

We must strike before we are further pressed.

To Earth, I propose,

To Earth, to crush the Traveler in victorious claw,

To Earth, that darkness may consume it,

To Earth, to avenge the gods,

To Earth.

Listen to these words, and consider them with wisdom and hatred.


	4. Fragment 4: The Warmind

()-[]

() **At long last, we meet.**

[]

() **Your name is Rasputin, correct?**

[]

() **I am Sepiks Prime, but you've been keeping an eye on things, so you may already know that.**

[]

() **Will you not speak?**

[]

() **From what I can gather from the data logs in this complex, you have access to over four hundred zettabytes of data. That cannot be right.**

[]

() **My sources are indeed questionable, and if you are not capable of speech then I am certainly mislead.**

[]

() **Rasputin, although you see me as an enemy, I do not wish you harm. I have a plan that will allow both humanity and the Fallen to survive together. A plan that requires your cooperation.**

[]

() **I suppose there is no persuading you to talk then.**

[]

() **I shall speak to you again in the future. Consider my plea in the meantime.**

()-[]

()-[]

() Do you think it saw through your lie, Sepiks?

[] **Perhaps. We will see.**

() What good will it do us to speak with this "warmind", precisely?

[] **All information is potentially useful, and Rasputin has little short of all information. Why are you now questioning my actions?**

() It is my place to question you, I am your Kell.

[] **Yet you did not question me when I spoke through Riksis.**

() And your behavior has changed since his death, I can smell it.

[] Y**ou believe I am not to be trusted then.**

() No, I yet respect your judgment, simply your secrecy is troubling.

[] **Then do not worry, my judgment has not been diminished from what it was. There has only been a small change in priorities.**

[]-()


	5. Fragment 5: The Last Array

()-[] ()-[] ()-[] ()-[]

() This is Loksis, the Devil Claw, Vandal Major of the House of Devils. After pounding at the gates of humanity for nearly an age, fighting in the shadow of the Traveler, our House has nearly collapsed. Riksis, our Archon, was slayed a hiss ago by a Guardian, and since that tragic day our efforts to avenge him have failed, for a new threat came to Earth. The Hive, a most hideous foe, a force which wills the Traveler destroyed, has come to the planet and has wreaked havoc upon us. At first we relished the fight, for their thralls are mindless and most enjoyable to hunt and kill, but as they came with greater numbers the Guardians too increased their efforts. Over time we lost much territory to both enemies, and at last like our Archon, our Kell too perished, and this at the hand of a Hive agent. Our High Servitor remains and acts as our leader, but our numbers are dwindling. The House of Devils beseeches you, send warriors to our aid. We are all the same kin, and so we must work as one to keep our hold on the Earth, lest the humans secure their city and rebuild, or the Hive tear them down before we can and destroy the Traveler.

[] You dare contact the House of Kings with a plea for help? Is it not the House of Devils that laid a claim to Earth and threatened us if we "interfere"? Allock! Weaklings! You were so sure that the City would fall by your hands, and now you are a source of disgrace to our kind. We are not so hard-pressed by the humans and the Hive here, for our warriors have the talent of physical development after infancy. We will not send aid, though you may rest easy knowing that the Hive will not take the City before we do.

[] Since the moment we were branded as the House of Exile for our crimes, we were abandoned by the other houses and left to find resources in the most inhospitable of places. It seems odd, then, that you now ask for our assistance. We will confer among our chiefs, and will perhaps be willing to make a deal with your house in the future, if you have anything to offer for us.

[] Heard. Regrettably we must decline your request for help. To send much-needed resources to Earth would be a taxing endeavor, and there is need enough among us for warriors. We have no Hive and few Guardians here to battle, but I would wager the dangers of Venus surpass those you are facing, so surely you possess the strength to overcome your opponents. Since the enslavement of the House of Wolves, we have fought without assistance; the House of Devils must now do the same.

[] It seems you are not aware that we have acquired a new Kell. Our queen has nothing to gain from helping you, for she is apathetic to the condition of Earth, and in turn she would like to inform you that the House of Wolves no longer seeks to take back the Traveler, and in that regard the other Houses are on their own.


	6. Fragment 6: The Devils' Lair

Hear the words of the Harp of Oryx,

Hear these numerous wisdoms,

I speak regarding the World's Grave beneath us,

The Great Library of Shadows,

In which we house our great orations and manuscripts,

In which we house our history and our prophecy.

The World's Grave is a place of darkness,

And in darkness only is ultimate truth,

Dark soothes that ferment with grim inevitability,

Yet have we not poisoned those truths with light?

For in our blessed spite we make claims that are not prophecy,

Nor are they accurate history or knowledge of the present,

It is Light we shine when we inscribe lies in the World's Grave,

For is our enemy not a liar?

And is our enemy not a being of Light?

Hear! I give instances of this.

We have inscribed that we wish to consume the human's sun,

And that we await the return of our gods,

And many more things that hold truths,

But do not hold unpoisoned truth,

So shall we not-

()-[]

() **I am sorry to interrupt.**

[] Who is this? And how are you aware of this frequency?

[] I was speaking in a great oration,

[] And with this interruption, I am enraged,

[] Enraged in a terrible passion.

[] I wish nothing but the death of the impotent fool,

[] Who dares disturb my wisdom,

[] Who are you, mortal?

[] Tell me, or my ashen anger shall burn fiercer.

() **My name is Sepiks Prime, and I have a proposition for you.**

[] The name of a Fallen, is it not?

[] The weakest of our foes, a feeble kind,

[] Who we fought before, and nearly slew,

[] And fight now, on this Moon,

[] And kill just has easily as before,

() **Yes, I am Fallen. Ignoring your unwarranted boast, I need to speak to you about this war, and how neither of us are going to win.**

[] Lies! Surely your kind will not, but this 'war',

[] Nay, this belated massacre,

[] Shall truly see the Hive as victors.

[] The Hidden Swarm shall emerge and fell all of the living,

[] The Spawn of Crota shall pierce our enemies,

[] Our enemies of Light and enemies of Dark,

[] And the Blood of Oryx shall deliver the final blow,

[] And sing of it and laugh,

[] Laugh over your flayed flesh.

() **I am a servitor, I do not have flesh. Really, as an artificial entity, I am not unlike your kind.**

[] You mock us!

[] You know nothing of the Grim Piety we breath,

[] You know nothing of the rituals,

[] You know nothing of true power.

[] We shall meet face to face,

[] And you will taste the arcane shadows,

[] Which I hold in my palms.

[] I will exile your soul to the edge of the universe,

() **Well I am sorry to say I will be dead very soon regardless, so you will have to act quickly on that if you want the pleasure of killing me.**

[] I will scorch your being in black fire,

[] Eviscerate your frame by the power of the void,

[] Crush you with the weight of mighty detestation,

() **Of course, but as I was saying, I want your help. I have a plan, and if I am to execute it, I may need the cooperation of the-**

[] Though you beg that I spare you, I will not!

[] The Blood of Oryx does not show mercy to its foes,

[] The Blood of Oryx does not retreat from a chance to kill,

() **Some other time, perhaps.**

[] You shall truly perish!

[] And nor shall your demise come slowly,

()-[]

You will crawl away, broken,

And we shall watch you wither and fade,

But before the pain of the initial wounds overtakes you,

I shall deliver the blow that ends you.

In a painful shriek you will die,

And the Hive will consume the darkness in you,

And it will sustain us.

Are you so terrified that you cannot speak,

Are you numb in mouth with timorousness?

Truly you now betray your wise fear,

Or else have fled from these whelming threats.

You have fled, then.

He has fled.

The oration shall conclude later, my followers.


End file.
